A petition to build a new hospital central to St Albans, Watford and Dacorum has reached 10,000 signatures.

The petition was started by campaigner Andy Love, and calls on NHS decision makers to instruct West Herts Hospital Trust (WHHT) to amend their strategic outline case, proposing a hospital in a more central location rather than redeveloping the existing Watford General Hospital.

Campaigners from the New Hospital Campaign (NHC) have argued that building a new acute hospital would be cheaper and quicker, and would be easier to access by public transport than the current hospital in Vicarage Road, Watford.

The Government responds to all petitions which reach more than 10,000 signatures, but Andy is continuing to urge St Albans and Harpenden residents to sign to put more momentum behind the petition. He said: “I wasn’t sure we would get there and it is a fantastic achievement to reach 10 000 signatures and trigger a government response to the petition.

“It can only help demonstrate to the NHS regulators and local health authorities the strength of feeling there is among West Herts’ residents for building a new and more accessible A&E Hospital for West Herts.

“The Herts Advertiser, with their coverage of the new hospital campaign , have played a major part helping the petition to achieve 10k signatures.

“The petition is still open until Wednesday so I am urging those who haven’t signed to join the 10 000 who have, as we need every signature out there in order to keep the pressure on the NHS regulators for a new and more accessible A&E Hospital for everyone in West Herts.”

Recently we, as a family (minus two of the kids), visited The Lodge RSPB reserve in Sandy, Bedfordshire. I had never been before, which is perhaps amiss of me as a birdwatcher as it is the headquarters of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or RSPB and only 45 minutes drive from home.